Bad news for Brits flying abroad this summer

Staff reporters

Holidaymakers heading abroad this summer are almost twice as likely to face flight delays from main UK airports.

Research from the team behind flight delay compensation app airFair has revealed July and August as the worst months for delays, with passengers up to 47 per cent as likely to be held up.

Thousands of trips could be disrupted as a result of increased pressure on the system during school holiday season,coupled with a potential rise in passenger numbers following a recent drop in the overall cost of air travel.

Gatwick Airport emerged as the major delay hotspot, with almost half of flights in July (47 per cent) and August (43 per cent) likely to be delayed – a sharp rise compared to just 22 per cent in February.

Heathrow is also prone to increased hold-ups, with around a third of flights in July (33 per cent) and August (28 per cent) seeing a much higher possibility of disruption than in other months this year - in February, only 18 per cent of flights were delayed.

Will Smith, head of airFair, said: “Passengers are even more likely to be faced with disruptions in July and August as we flock to warmer climes to enjoy some summer sun. Flight delays can have a big impact on the enjoyment of a holiday, and it’s important that consumers are prepared for this possibility and know how to make a compensation claim.”

The chances of summer delays aren’t just restricted to London airports - Manchester Airport is likely to see a 29 per cent chance of delays, while passengers are over 20 per cent likelier to encounter delays in July and August at Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh airports, as opposed to a less than 16 per cent chance of delays at eachlast February.

Earlier this year, airFair (https://www.airfair.com) revealed that flight delays as a whole are on the rise, following research into official figures from the CAA comparing flights from 2011 to 2016, showing that delays are much more likely than they were five years ago.